


i don’t wanna lose this with you

by spinning_out



Category: Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Other, minor hurt/comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27950063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spinning_out/pseuds/spinning_out
Summary: Brad deals with his loneliness during quarantine, and realizes his feelings for David.If he was going to do this confession right, he was going to have to make a few calls first.
Relationships: Brad Bakshi & Ian Grimm, Brad Bakshi & Poppy Li, Brad Bakshi & Rachel, Brad Bakshi/David Brittlesbee
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> if we don’t get more of brad focused conflict in s2 i’ll be disappointed 
> 
>   
> title is from Afterglow by Taylor Swift

Brad’s day started out like any other, except for the fact that he, and everyone else around him, were in the midst of a global pandemic. 

This had been going on for about 3 months now, and things still felt uncomfortable. Brad was used to getting up early, putting on an expensive sweater and a collared shirt, and driving a pretty long distance to work. His routine was usually the most comforting part of his day, because it was familiar enough to make him feel motivated. Now he usually woke up 15 minutes before the staff meetings (or he wouldn’t sleep at all), only bothered to throw on a button down over his pajamas, and occasionally walk downstairs to make himself coffee. He sat in front of his computer most of the day, not wanting to leave the room and realize how empty his house was. Brad had lived alone for most of his life, but he usually liked the quiet; now it just made him feel lonely. Quarantine had certainly done a number on him. He always felt more inclined to reach out to his coworkers, especially David, but backed out of it as his finger hovered over the “call” button. 

Brad had already been awake for a while, but still had no motivation to do anything at work. His alarm went off, reminding him that he had a meeting that started in 10 minutes. Brad set up his gaming console and started a game of Street Fighter. He figured that he might as well occupy himself with something while he sat through the meeting. David’s face was the first to pop up on the screen, him being the one that organized all of the meetings. Brad acknowledged him and turned his attention back to Street Fighter. 

As more people joined, Brad found himself focusing on David again. He paused the game and looked at his computer screen. David’s freckles were more noticeable in the light, and his flannel really brought out his deep, blue eyes-  
Brad was interrupted by David talking to him.

“Brad, can I get your attention please?” David called. Brad was caught off guard by the question and didn’t know how to explain why he wasn’t listening.  
“Oh sorry, David. I’m playing Street Fighter.” Brad said in return. It wasn’t totally a lie but it was the best he could come up with. 

Brad only caught a few words that David was saying, but immediately tuned back in when he heard “$100,000 donation.” Brad and David went back and forth about it, insisting that _he_ was the head of monetization, so _he_ would be the one to make the final call. David disagreed, and suggested something that raised the stakes.  


“Play me for it,” he said. “In your little game there. If I win, you gotta release the cash.”  
Brad let out a small laugh. “Deal.”  
Something clicked in his head, and he realized what he could do just to fuck with David a little bit. A smirk crept across his lips.  
“But if I win, you gotta shave off one of your eyebrows.”  
David didn’t seem as excited anymore. One by one, the rest of the staff started to leave.  
“This is gonna be amazing, goodbye!” Brad quipped, before exiting the call. 

David lost their first game of Street Fighter, and Brad could tell he didn’t wanna give up so easily. When Sue called, and he suggested that they raise the stakes again, Brad was intrigued. $200,000 vs. David’s eyelashes and left eyebrow, was a bet he was willing to take. 

Brad still managed to beat David even when his mind was preoccupied. He glanced back at his computer screen and saw David turn his gaze away, his cheeks seeming to grow increasingly pink. Brad didn’t have time to dwell on what _that_ was about because David put down his controller in exasperation. Brad caught a glimpse of the smile again, even though David lost, and the two of them locked eyes. 

_I think his eyes are the prettiest shade of blue I’ve ever seen._ Brad thought. 

It dawned on him that their games of Street Fighter would be coming to an end soon. The bet would be called off, David presumably at the losing end, and things would go back to their normal schedule. For Brad, that just meant he would be lonely again. He wanted anything but that. 

“Brad? Hello?” David said, breaking Brad away from his thoughts. “What are you staring at?”  
“Your eyes.” Brad answered without thinking. He realized what he said a second after. “I mean, uh shit, I gotta go. Bye David.”  
“Brad wai-“ 

Brad hung up before David could finish his sentence. That didn’t go as he had planned. If Brad wanted to keep spending time with David, he would probably have to confess his feelings soon. He hadn’t been in a committed relationship since college, and was never good at communicating about his emotions. Brad leaned back in his chair and exhaled. He bounced his knee up and down anxiously as he ran his hands through his wavy hair. Brad smiled again when he thought about David, but wiped the look off of his face when he realized how their last call had ended. Brad took another breath and thought about facetiming David again. He stood up and paced slowly back and forth across his office.  


“Fuck,” he said aloud. “I’m in love with David.” Brad kept repeating it to himself, maybe the feelings would go away if he just said it out loud enough times. 

But they didn’t. They were only replaced by the realization that Brad would have to tell David, sooner rather than later. Brad swore under his breath again, love confessions were never exactly fun for him. It’s not that he wasn’t confident in his sexuality, he just was scared things were gonna go badly in this specific scenario. He was scared that David wouldn’t feel the same, and Brad would go back to being alone. He didn’t think he could stand not talking to David. Brad calmed his nerves and sat back down in front of his computer. 

If he was going to do this right, he was going to have to make a few calls first.


	2. Ian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brad’s conversation with Ian, the first person he went to for help.

Brad was asking Ian for help. Ian wasn’t a last resort, considering he was the first person Brad was going to, but he wanted to get this out of the way. Brad fidgeted with the Rubik’s cube that he kept in his home office, feeling more stressed than usual that day. There was no reason for his stress, he was just in an irritable mood. Brad was hoping to keep this meeting quick, as he didn’t want to practically lose his mind too early on. There was nothing but the sound of ringing, Ian still wasn’t answering his phone. It stopped and Brad tried again. Calling in general was very unlike him, let alone twice in a row. He much rather preferred texting or email, but this felt too complicated to explain non-verbally. On the third ring, Ian picked up. Brad was startled by the sound of Ian’s voice and dropped the cube onto the floor. 

“Yo.” He said.  
“Hey Ian,” Brad began. “Look, I need a favor.”  
“You? Asking someone for help? Very out of character, Bakshi.”  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can you just hear me out?” Brad ran a hand through his hair and gave Ian a look. 

He could tell he was doing a bad job at concealing his nerves when Ian’s expression softened.  


“What’s up?”  
“I need you to double the money that’s going to charity. It’ll amount to $600,000.” Brad glanced up at Ian through the screen.  
“I thought you said you weren’t gonna donate the money though. That’s why you had the bet-“  
“I know what I said, Ian!” Brad snapped. He put his hands over his face, propping his elbows against his desk.  
“I know what I said,” he repeated calmly. “So can we double it or not?”  
Ian rubbed his neck and eventually shrugged.  
“I guess so. I’m sure David will be happy that he doesn’t have to shave his eyebrow anymore.”  


Brad said nothing at first.  
“I’m not telling David about the money,” he mumbled. “The bet is still on.”  
“So if David loses, he still has to shave his face, even though you’re already donating the money?” Ian asked, still piecing everything together. Brad went quiet again, only giving a small nod as an answer. He didn’t meet Ian’s eyes.  


“I guess I’m just confused,” Ian continued. “Why can’t you just call off the bet?”  
Brad shrugged, slowly getting more annoyed.  


“What is the point in that, Brad?”  
Silence.  


“Can you at least answer me?”  
“I just wanted a fucking excuse to spend more time with him, okay? Is that a good enough answer for you?” Brad shouted, his voice breaking slightly on the “okay.”  
“ _Oh._ ” Ian whispered.  


Brad sighed, moving his hand back towards his computer to hang up the call. Ian looked like he was going to say something but Brad disconnected before he could hear it. So much for not freaking out. 

He picked up the Rubik’s cube from where it had fallen and continued to move it around in his hands. Brad often liked to fidget with things when he was in a bad mood, or when he needed to be distracted. If he didn’t have a physical object to hold, he would pick at the hemlines of his sweaters or at his nails. One of the few people who didn’t find it weird that he always was doing something with his hands, was David. In fact, David had gotten them a small set of fidget toys that they kept in a box in their office. Brad appreciated the gesture, and although he was nervous about using them at first, he eventually found himself playing with them quite often. If David noticed, he never mentioned anything. 

Ian called back within a few minutes. Him and Brad both started speaking at the same time. 

“Why do you need an excuse?” Ian questioned.  
“I shouldn’t have yelled,” Brad reluctantly admitted. When he noticed Ian was talking too, he simply repeated himself.  


“I don’t care that you yelled,” Ian told him. “I shouldn’t have kept prying. But why do you need an excuse to hang out with David? Can’t you just like, talk to him?”  
“It’s not that easy. I feel like there needs to be a reason for it or he’ll…” Brad trailed off. “Figure everything out.”  
“Figure what out?” Ian asked carefully.  
Brad swallowed thickly and made eye contact with Ian. His eyes must have said more than his words could.  


“You can just call him-“ Ian trailed off, his face changed as something clicked in his mind. “Oh. Brad, do you like David?”  
“Of course I like David. Everyone likes David.”  
“Brad, you know that’s not what I meant,” Ian said hesitantly. “Are you in love with him?”  


Hearing someone else say the words made Brad’s head spin. He _knew_ that he was, but for some reason actually admitting to it made Brad feel sick to his stomach. Ian was still waiting for an answer. Brad tried to form a sentence but all that came out was a slightly strangled “yes.” 

_Shit,_ Brad panicked. _I just fucking confessed that to Ian._

Brad wasn’t exactly surprised that Ian figured it out so easily, the pieces were pretty easy to connect. Ian already knew that Brad was gay, and Ian wasn’t always an idiot. Brad spent a lot of time with David when they were at work (not to mention the one time Ian walked into their office to find them both cuddling on the couch), but the context clues of their current situation was enough proof in and of itself. 

Ian nodded, a poorly concealed smile could be seen on his face.  


“I just want a more explainable reason for why I’m calling him so much.” Brad managed. He did _not_ need to cry in front of Ian right now. “So why not say it’s just for some stupid bet? Even though it stopped being about the actual bet about 5 games of Street Fighter ago.”  
“I think you should tell him.” Ian advised. “Sometimes you gotta take care of things before they get too big.”  


Brad shot the idea down with a quick glare. He knew that Ian was right, but he’d rather be caught dead than say those words out loud. Ian didn’t need anything else feeding his already massive ego.  
“Yeah, right. I’m clearly so good at talking about my feelings.” Brad said sarcastically. At least he was feeling more like himself now.  
“Okay, we’ll donate the $600,000. But I still think you should talk to him.” Ian repeated. Brad only rolled his eyes.  
“Go have fun with your bet or whatever,” Ian told him. “You’re still a sociopath.”  
“Whatever, Grimm.” Brad said with a laugh. “And, thanks, I guess.”  
“No problem.” 

Ian ended the call first this time, leaving Brad in the familiar silence of his own home.  
“Not sure that’s how I wanted _that_ to go.” Brad scoffed, talking to himself. He reached for his phone and pulled up David’s messages. Brad let his thumbs hover over the keyboard as he decided what to say. 

_Up for another game?  
We can take a break from the bet._

Brad didn’t have to wait very long for a response. His foot tapped against the floor anxiously as his phone dinged. 

_Of course :)  
This better not be a trick, there’s only  
so many parts of my face that I can  
shave._

Brad smiled to himself. Maybe this would become easier than he thought.


	3. Poppy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brad has a rough night and needs somebody to comfort. He thinks to call the only other person who was likely still awake; Poppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> brad+poppy friendship rights!

2 days later, Brad wasn’t doing very well. He had bet on David’s mustache, like an idiot. He got too wrapped up in the moment and it was too late to pull back. Brad was at least able to keep up his façade of the snarky attitude and desire for making people embarrassed. David just kept losing, and Brad was starting to go too far. They still played games with each other in a less competitive format, but even then there was something stiff about all of their interactions. 

It was rare if David actually won a game, but every time he did it was when they were playing just for fun. Brad pretended to be annoyed at David’s excitement, but on the inside he thought it was adorable. Of course, he never actually said anything like that out loud. 

Brad was lying awake at 2am, his fear of being alone was particularly bad tonight. He had woken up from a nightmare, the details of which were still slightly hazy, but he remembered feeling like he was falling. Brad didn’t know when he had started crying, but his eyes felt heavy and his cheeks were wet. He was just so tired of being by himself. He grabbed his phone off of the nightstand and scrolled through his contacts. There was only one person he thought to call who might have also been awake. 

That person was Poppy. 

It rang a few times before Poppy’s voice crackled to life. Her face took up the screen, eyes slightly bloodshot and her hair tied back in a messy bun. Only a small lamp in the corner was lighting the room.  


“Brad, it’s 2am. What is- oh my god you look like shit.” Poppy blurted out, immediately closing her mouth afterwards.  


It was true. Brad’s hair was ruffled, his eyes were red and puffy (not to mention the prominent bags underneath them), and the rest of his face was splotchy. He could see the tears on his cheeks shining from the glow on his phone. It didn’t necessarily make him feel very good.  


“Thanks, Pop, I can always count on you to be honest.” Brad sighed. He tried to mask his sadness with a tone of annoyance and sarcasm, but his voice came out broken. He cursed himself out for not being stoic all the time.  


“I didn’t mean it like that,” Poppy mumbled. “Are you okay?”  
“I shouldn’t have called. Why are you even awake still?” Brad said, ignoring Poppy’s question.  
“I was working on last minute fixes for the Blood Ocean vaccine. Why are _you_ still awake?”  


Brad’s voice was lost again. There were too many reasons to get into. He felt lonely, his mind kept yelling at him, he had been in a constant state of panic ever since he talked to Ian, he had a nightmare, _he missed David._ His eyes were getting watery again and he inhaled sharply. Brad forgot that Poppy was still there until she cleared her throat.  


Brad only shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.” He hoped that Poppy bought that as an answer.  
“Okay, but why are you crying? And why did you call _me?_ ”  
“I was thinking of calling David,” Brad said with a sniffle. “But I know he always goes to bed scarily early. You were the only person who I thought might have been up.” 

The Australian didn’t answer him, still waiting for something more from him. He huffed and rolled his eyes. 

“I had a nightmare. It makes me sound like a child, I know, but being in my house alone right now feels too vast and empty and terrifying. I usually don’t mind solitude but living alone isn’t fun anymore. I miss having somewhere to be, I miss actually having motivation to get out of bed in the morning, I miss seeing all of you at work every day, and I really fucking miss David. I just miss everything being normal. I’ve been feeling like that for the past few months and I really think I just needed someone to talk to. If you would rather me hang up then by all means, I will.” Brad rambled.  


Poppy sat in an almost stunned silence, before speaking to Brad in a soft voice.  
“I know what you mean. Being lonely is the worst. But maybe we can be lonely together?”  


Brad smiled, wiping at his eyes more. He once again hadn’t realized he was still crying. Poppy continued to talk.  


“Talk to me, Brad. Tell me about the nightmare. Tell me about David.”

Brad felt his cheeks grow hot. He didn’t want her to hear that he missed David, but she obviously caught on the second that the words came out of Brad’s mouth. Brad closed his eyes for a minute, before taking a long shaky breath, and beginning to explain everything. 

Poppy was a surprisingly great listener when she needed to be. Brad told her about the dream he had, it all coming back to him the longer he stayed awake. 

He remembered walking through the Mythic Quest studio, the sounds of echoing footsteps around him. Brad ran through the hallways, somehow never being able to find an exit. No matter how many times he ran in a different direction, the only room he ever came back to was his and David’s office. There was only a small light coming from under the door, but each time he tried to get in, it was always locked. On the 4th loop through, the door opened. The room he stepped into quickly changed from his familiar office, to an empty space surrounded by an endless void. The door shut behind him and disappeared as he walked inside. There was a single piece of paper sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. Brad didn’t know what he was supposed to do, so he picked up the note.  


_This is your fault._ It read.  
“What is?” Brad’s dream self had asked out loud.

The paper shook in his hands as the message on it changed.  


_The emptiness._  


Brad tried tearing the page, but nothing in his dreams ever had physical permanence to them. Each time he tore the paper, new words would appear.  


_You will always be alone._  


That phrase kept popping up over and over again as the floor he was standing on disappeared from underneath him. Brad could only grasp the fact that he was falling.  
He braced himself for the impact of the ground as his surroundings felt like they were shaking. Brad sat bolt upright in his bed and couldn’t even focus on where he was. His heart was pounding, his clothes felt itchy, his hands were shaking, and everything was just too much. 

“I reached for my phone after that and called you.” Brad said at the end of describing the dream. He was surprised by how much he was willing to open up right now. Poppy nodded.  


“Does it feel any better to have gotten all of that out there?” She asked Brad.  
“You’re acting like a therapist, Pops,” Brad teased. “But it sort of helped I guess.”  
“I get that sinking feeling of loneliness too, a lot of the time. I haven’t been adjusting well to being quarantined.” Poppy confessed. “It’s refreshing to see someone else freaking out as bad as me.”  


Brad rolled his eyes but gave Poppy a smile to show he wasn’t actually annoyed.  
“It’s been hard not having someone with me pretty much at all times.” Brad said. “Is it bad to be scared of being abandoned before you even commit to someone else?” 

Poppy knew that he was talking about David, even if he didn't actually say the words out loud.  
“In your case, I think the best thing to do is to be honest. You’re not completely alone in the world, Brad.” She looked Brad in the eyes. “Even when you’re being a dick, he’s still gonna love you.”  


Brad got choked up again. 

“Fuck, Poppy,” He laughed wetly. “What have you done to me?”  
“I made you feel less lonely? That was my intention at the very least.” She said, returning a slight chuckle similar to Brad’s.  


“So what do you like about David?” She prodded.  
“Are we really gonna have this conversation?”  
“Come on, Brazza.”  
Brad rolled his eyes at the nickname. “What isn’t there to like? He’s caring, he’s funny, he’s kind of oblivious sometimes, but he’s better than any of you give him credit for. I know I probably act like an asshole to him a lot of the time but I’m honestly just trying to spend as much time with him as possible.”  


Poppy smiled at how much Brad was rambling. She probably wouldn’t ever say it, but Brad could tell she thought this was adorable. 

Brad looked at the clock on his phone and noticed the time. Poppy must have had the same thought.  


“We’ve been talking for over an hour now. You’re keeping me from important work, you son of a bitch.” Poppy joked. There wasn’t a hint of bitterness in her voice; it was said as a term of endearment. 

Brad yawned. “I’ve got a long day of kicking David’s ass in Street Fighter ahead of me. You should go to sleep too.”  
Poppy nodded in agreement with a faint smile.  


“Thank you for calming me down.” Brad said quietly, as if he were scared someone would hear him.  
“Don’t sweat it.”  


“Oh and one more thing.” Brad added. “If you tell anyone that I came to you, crying and then gushing about Brittlesbee, you are dead to me.”  
“Yeah, I figured as much.” Poppy shrugged. “My lips are sealed.”  
Brad looked at her pointedly before adjusting himself in bed.  


“Goodnight, Brad.” Poppy said.  
“Goodnight, Poppy.”

The line disconnected and Brad sighed, putting his phone back on the stand next to his bed. 

At least he got to talk to David again tomorrow. They were ignoring the bet for another day, just playing a few practice rounds of Street Fighter. It was comforting knowing he wasn’t alone, even if there wasn’t anyone physically near. Brad closed his eyes and managed to fall asleep, looking forward to seeing David again the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they both deserve such big hugs
> 
> the beginning of the nightmare sequence is partially inspired by the scene in Life is Strange when Max keeps walking through the dorm hallways and ending up in the same spot


	4. Rachel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brad only needs to figure out his plan for the actual confession. Who else would he call, if not Rachel?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WLW/MLM SOLIDARITY!!
> 
> brad and rachel’s friendship is so underrated i hope we get more scenes with them

Brad and David hadn’t spoken about Brad getting caught staring at David. Handling the situation by ignoring it definitely wasn’t the most efficient, but it didn’t intervene at all. Brad wasn’t quite ready to confess his feelings yet, but he wanted to keep things normal until then. 

So that’s what the two of them did. 

They played Street Fighter, throwing playful banter back and forth, and would occasionally stay on the call for a little while longer. Even if they were both sitting in silence doing work, there was still comfort in having each other there. 

After the night with Poppy, Brad hadn’t felt as lonely. He accepted the fact that he had people he could call. He would call David a few more times than normal, ignoring the fact that he was still lying to David about donating the money. Brad would come clean about everything afterwards, including the stupid crush he had, despite the fact that it had evolved into much more than just a crush by then. 

Brad was almost ready, he just needed to cover one more step; what to do for the actual confession. He wasn’t very good at talking about his feelings, which had been made perfectly clear. He needed advice, preferably from someone who was in a similar position as he was. 

Brad had already gone to Ian to manage the bet, and Poppy to manage his loneliness. Being in love with your coworker was something that neither of them were dealing with. One person came to Brad’s mind immediately. 

Who else would he call, if not Rachel?

Everyone thought Rachel was annoying, and she had the potential to be sometimes. But Brad honestly enjoyed spending time with her, not that he would let anyone know that. They were a lot more similar than people probably would have thought. They rarely actually hung out at work, but this isn’t the first time they had called over quarantine. 

Ever since Brad aided Rachel in getting Dana her job back, she was technically in debt to him. Brad figured getting advice would pay off said debt. He could pretend that he only cared about “owning her” all he wanted, but he just wanted words from a friend right now. 

Brad sat in front of his computer, fidgeting with that same Rubik’s cube. The line was ringing, once again filling Brad’s otherwise silent home office. 

“Rachel, I need your help.” They both said once Rachel’s face popped up on the screen.  
“Stop that.” Brad joked, referencing that first time Rachel came into Brad’s office.  


“Oh, shit,” Rachel said, surprised. “I was making a joke but I can probably still help. What’s up?”  
“So y’know how I own you and you still are indebted to me?”  
Rachel playfully rolled her eyes. “You never seem to let me forget.”  
“I’ll drop it if you.. assist me with something” Brad watched Rachel straighten up at that, clearly becoming more interested.  


Brad sighed. “I need advice.”  
“And you came to _me?_ ” Rachel said, furrowing her eyebrows. “Uh, okay, so what do you need from me?”  
“You know how to deal with being in love with one of your coworkers.”  


“Oh fuck off, Baksh-” Rachel cut herself off, just picking up on what Brad actually said. “Wait what? You’re in love with someone? And someone at the office, no less? Who?”  
“Fucking hell, one question at a time.” Brad retorted, trying to hide how overwhelmed he was suddenly.  


“Who is it?” Rachel asked again, choosing that as the most important question. Brad froze.

After what felt like a long time of Rachel staring at him in anticipation, Brad spoke up.  


“It’s David.”  
“Say that again?” Rachel said, and Brad couldn’t tell if she was messing with him, or if she actually didn’t hear what he said.  


“I’m in love with David.” Brad repeated.  
“Shit, really? I mean I’m not entirely surprised, I guess.” 

Brad looked at her with widened eyes. 

“It’s just you’ve always seemed eager to spend time with him, and I’ve been in your position before, so I pick up on the clues easily.” Rachel quickly explained.  


Brad visibly relaxed at that statement. He still didn’t like thinking it was obvious that he liked David. David might have been the only one who didn’t know yet.  


“What do I do about it though? Confronting my feelings for him has been hard enough, so actually telling him feels like an even harder problem.” Brad asked, finding it surprisingly easy to talk to Rachel about this.  


She sighed. “Well, I think honesty is the best path here. It’s difficult, but if you think about all the positives it becomes easier. Don’t let your brain get caught up in all of the ‘what-if’ outcomes or anything, y’know?”  
Brad nodded, allowing Rachel to continue. 

“Your feelings are valid. I think David feels the same way.”  
“What makes you think that?” Brad asked, still not fully believing her.  
“The way he smiles at you, or how his face lights up whenever you enter a room. He talks to you with more interest than you when you went on the whole tangent about Scrooge McDuck.” 

Brad smiled softly the longer she spoke. 

Rachel leaned in towards the camera slightly. “This one absolutely stays between us, but I know that he talks to Carol about you. There’s been a few times when I’ve been waiting to go see her and he was in there. I’ve overheard their conversations, and David mentions you _a lot._ ”  


“Eavesdropping, nice.” Brad teased, not being able to ignore the heat spreading across his cheeks.  
“Not on purpose!” Rachel exclaimed, trying not to laugh. “My point is, you should tell him you love him. I think it’ll work out in your favor.”  
“You should tell Dana your feelings too, then.”  
“I know, I know. I’m a hypocrite. But Brad? On the off chance that things don’t go well, I’m always just a phone call away.”  


Brad gave her a genuine smile, and she gave one in return.  


“Thanks, Rachel.”  
“No problem, man. Who would’ve thought we would end up helping each other out so much?”  
“Not me.” Brad scoffed. “But we’re both gay and in love with our colleagues, so maybe we’re more similar than we thought.”  


Rachel laughed and nodded. “Solidarity.”  
“Yeah, solidarity.” Brad said under his breath.  
“Is my debt paid now?”  
“As long as this works out well.”  
“Fine. Now go talk to David.”  


Brad rolled his eyes and smiled again.  
“Bye, Rachel.”  
“See ya.”

Brad pushed himself back in his chair and exhaled. He began planning out how to tell David, suddenly feeling more confident in the whole situation. 

Brad’s phone buzzed from a notification; it was from David. 

_I’ve got my razor ready. Can I  
FaceTime you?_

Brad smiled and accepted David’s offer. He prepared himself for what was to come. Rachel’s words came back to him.  


“Honesty is the best path here.” Brad repeated, saying it out loud to make sure it really stuck. 

He was ready.


	5. David

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brad’s feelings of preparedness left the second that David’s face appeared on his phone screen. This call might not go as smoothly as he had hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: i listened to my david playlist over and over while writing these last few chapters, so now my “on repeat” spotify playlist is a mess

The second that David’s face had showed up on his phone screen, Brad no longer felt ready. David had his phone set up on his bathroom sink, and had a small razor in his hand. 

Brad had a whole plan of telling David the truth about everything. About already donating the money, reassuring David that he didn’t have to shave, about how lonely he’s felt in quarantine and how playing Street Fighter had been the most fun he’d had in months, and the feelings he’d come to accept in regards to David. 

None of those words made it past his lips though. 

Brad was so overcome with anxiety that he had stayed silent for pretty much the entire facetime call. 

When David finished shaving off his mustache, Brad visibly cringed. David noticed, and stopped to make sure Brad was okay. Brad only played it off as if he were making fun of David’s new look, which he regretted immediately after. The last thing he needed was to make David more upset. Most of Brad’s words were still getting caught in his throat, so even his apology seemed half-assed. 

Brad focused on a spot on the floor, fully realizing it was too late to say anything, as David shaved his left eyebrow.

The next few moments went by in a blur; David putting his razor down, turning back to Brad with a slightly disappointed look on his face, Brad saying nothing other than “I’m sorry” and ending the call. 

He didn’t understand why he felt so guilty all of a sudden. He knew that David’s facial hair would grow back, but he wasn’t sure if that’s even what it was about anymore. 

Brad was frustrated with himself for not being able to say what was on his mind. David was incredibly easy to talk to, but nothing had been going well. 

David didn’t text or call Brad after he had hung up, so Brad pretty much ignored his other messages for the rest of the day. He didn’t say anything to David until their 10:00AM staff meeting the next morning. 

David kept his face turned away from the camera while everyone got settled into the meeting. 

Lou made sure everyone was prepared for the day, before shifting the attention to Brad. His mind wasn’t even fully present, but he slipped on his usual façade and made a few bragging comments about winning Street Fighter. 

David faced everyone again and was met with a cacophony of reactions. He heard Sue tell him he “looked like a baby turtle.” Brad stifled a laugh when she said that. 

He personally studied David now, after panicking too much yesterday to get the chance. The missing eyebrow threw off the balance a little bit, but Brad realized how much younger David looked without a mustache. 

Brad wondered if that’s what David looked like when he first started working at MQ. Brad had only joined the team once Raven’s Banquet was in development, but according to the other employees, David had been there from the near beginning. 

“I just- I feel bad that I lost the $300,000 for charity.” David sighed, a few people still commenting on his appearance.  


Brad focused back in on the meeting and decided that it was now or never. He would come clean about everything. Well, _almost_ everything.  


“Oh, I already donated it.” Brad revealed. He hoped it came out as sincere as it was in his head, but knowing him, it definitely sounded a lot more sarcastic.  
“What?” David asked, that seeming to be the only thing he could think of to say. 

Brad explained Ian doubling the money, and his reasoning for keeping it a secret. Brad lied about the real reason, that it was all an excuse to spend time together, and just made up that he wanted to get something out of David. 

Needless to say, David wasn’t very thrilled. Brad started to panic again at the annoyed expression on David’s face. He figured out a way to calm David down at least a little bit, by attempting to flip it around and congratulate David.  


“That’s $600,000 for charity,” Brad settled on saying. “Way to go, David!”  


David seemed surprised by the praise coming from their coworkers, but a smile spread across his face. Brad could tell it was genuine, and that made him smile too.  


“Thanks guys.” David mumbled, still smiling. He cringed slightly when he brought his hand up to where his eyebrow should’ve been, but continued on with the meeting. Brad viewed it as a good enough outcome, satisfied with himself for at least coming clean about the bet. 

After the Rube Goldberg machine was a success, the rest of the team couldn’t contain their excitement. Everyone seemed to be in a much better mood, still feeling celebratory. David gave the closing notes, reminding everyone to stay safe and check in if they needed anything. 

“We have another full meeting the same time next week, so I’ll see you all then,” David announced, before pausing for a brief moment. Something changed behind David’s eyes that would have been unnoticeable if Brad hadn’t been staring. 

“Brad? Can you stay on the call for a few minutes? I’d like to talk to you.”  


Brad’s eyes widened, hopefully not too visibly. He caught a glimpse of Ian, Poppy, and Rachel making similar faces. He was nervous for whatever David wanted to tell him. A million different scenarios ran through his mind in the blink of an eye. Brad realized that he still hadn’t said anything, and he didn’t know how long he had been sitting in silence.  


“Yeah.” Brad said. his throat suddenly dry.  
“Thanks. Meeting adjourned.”  


As everyone’s icons disappeared, Brad only got more jittery. His leg was bouncing rapidly as he shifted in his chair. He looked to Rachel before she disconnected.  


“Breathe.” She mouthed, giving Brad a quick smile. Brad inhaled deeply, and exhaled. He did that a few more times until it was just him and David left. 

_Here goes nothing._

Brad ran a hand through his hair while he waited for David to speak.  


“What was that about?” He finally questioned, his voice getting higher. It often did that when he was stressed.  
“You’re gonna need to elaborate.” Brad answered shyly, moving a pen around in his fingers.  


“What was the point in the bet if you were gonna donate the money all along?”  
“I thought I told you. It was just to get something out of you, which I did. You know me well enough to know that I like owning people.”  
“I also know you well enough to know that you’re lying.” David stated, causing Brad to stare at him again, “I’m not stupid, Brad. You’re not as cold as everyone sets you out to be.”  


“What is _that_ supposed to mean?” Brad asked, getting increasingly more nervous.  
“It means that you’re not entirely fucking driven by the need to humiliate other people. It means that I pay enough attention to know there’s always some other underlying reason for your actions.”  


“David-”  
“Do I need to come check on you? You haven’t been acting entirely like yourself, Brad, and I want the truth.”  


Brad said nothing, he only combed his hands through his hair again, trying to keep them from shaking.  


“I’m worried about you.” David told him. 

That was all Brad needed to hear.

“The truth is that I’m lonely! Quarantine has been absolutely kicking my ass and us playing Street Fighter was the most connected I’ve felt to anyone since March.” Brad had so many things he wanted to say, and for once, he let himself say them.  
“I was scared that we wouldn’t talk as much if the stupid bet wasn’t compelling you to call me. Yes, I got carried away with the stakes of the game and yes, I should’ve told you about the money, and I’m sorry. But the only thing I was looking for was an excuse to keep spending time with you.”  


“Why didn’t you just ask me to talk?” David questioned. “I would’ve said yes.”  
“It’s more complicated than that.” Brad muttered.  
“I- I don’t understand.”  


Brad pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I love you.”  


David’s face went red and he looked down at the floor. Brad didn’t like the silence, so he kept talking.

“I’m _in_ love with you, and I was scared that if I called you too much, you would figure that out. And I was scared that you’d be weirded out by that or something, I don’t know. I just didn’t want to ruin anything.”  


“Why would I be weirded out?.” David asked.  
“I don’t know. My worries get the best of me and I really _really_ don’t wanna end up losing you. But I understand if you don’t feel the same and if you want any space or-“  


“Brad,” David said, cutting Brad off. Brad prepared himself for the worst. “I love you too.”  


Those were not the words Brad had been expecting to hear. David’s eyes met his and he smiled. Brad tried not to laugh at how pink David’s cheeks were.  


“You’re serious?” Brad asked, only half-joking. “Like in a romantic way and everything?”  
“I’m serious.” David confirmed.  


Brad let out a sigh of relief and held David’s gaze. He wasn’t quite used to seeing him without a mustache or one of his eyebrows, but Brad found it just as easy to get lost in David’s eyes. They were a deep shade of daphne blue, and they stood out against his freckled skin, making them nearly impossible to look away from. 

“Do you want to play some more Street Fighter?” Brad suggested. “Usually when I tell people that I love them, it doesn’t go well, so I’m sort of blanking on what to do now.”  
“I’m not sure I can play more of that game for a little while.” David joked, trying not to wince when he touched his finger to the spot above his eye.  
“Right. Sorry about all that.”  
“Hey, at least it’ll grow back. But next time you have to tell someone something important, maybe try and _avoid_ the complicated bets.”  
Brad laughed sheepishly. “Deal.”  


David smiled at him again. “How about I call you later tonight? We can make dinner over facetime and it’ll be like a virtual date.”  
“That sounds great.” Brad replied.  
“No eyebrow shaving this time.”  
“No eyebrow shaving.”  


David blew Brad a kiss before hanging up, causing Brad to blush intensely. He grabbed his phone to shoot Rachel a text.

_Your debt is paid.  
He’s calling me again later. _

_i told you :)_

Brad leaned back in his desk chair, spinning in it slowly. He leaned his head back fully and replayed his call over and over in his mind. Brad couldn’t believe that things had actually gone so well. He smiled as he stared at his ceiling. 

David _loved_ him. That concept didn’t even feel real, but he just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Every time it crossed his mind, Brad didn’t think he’d ever get tired of remembering it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they make my brain go brrrr


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brad couldn’t be happier getting to spend his time with David.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is kinda short, but i wanted to include some fluff in here somewhere. it felt too long to include on the end of the last chapter, but it made me happy to write so here it is

By the end of May, Brad and David had made their relationship official, announcing it to the MQ team a week later. In September, David moved in. When Brad, David, and the rest of the head staff were given the go ahead to come back to work, the two men had been spending every hour of the day together. They drove to work each morning, and drove home at night. Brad was worried that David would somehow get sick of him, but David never seemed to stop caring, so Brad was able to calm himself down. He had a boyfriend who comforted him, a boyfriend who made him feel wanted, a boyfriend who he loved more than anything. Brad made sure to tell David that whenever he got the chance, and each time David said it back, Brad couldn’t help but smile.

Most of Brad’s days still began like they always had. He got up early, put on an expensive sweater and a collared shirt, and drove to work. He liked having a routine, it was a good source of motivation to get out of bed.  


But now, his favorite part of the morning was the quiet moments that came just before getting ready. Brad would wake up in David’s arms, soft sunlight peeking in through the windows.  
Usually, David would still be asleep, and Brad would settle back down until David woke up. 

One particular December morning, David was already awake, gently combing his fingers through Brad’s soft curls. Brad groggily said good morning and leaned up just enough to give David a kiss. He was always extra affectionate in the morning, so David knew to just keep holding him. 

They laid in silence until Brad’s alarm went off, reminding them that it was time to get ready for work. David moved himself out of Brad’s grasp, laughing as Brad grumbled about wanting him to come back to bed. He held onto David’s wrist, pulling him back for another kiss.  


“I love you.” Brad spoke against David’s lips.  
“I love you too,” David answered, pulling away and playfully hitting Brad on the forehead. “Now get up, or we’re gonna be late for work.” 

Brad got dressed and smiled as he heard David humming to himself downstairs. 

He made his way into the kitchen, kissing David quickly and stealing the coffee cup out of his hands. The comfortable and familiar domesticity of living with David had most definitely changed his life for the better. 

As they drove to work, Brad looked over at David in the driver’s seat, taking in how nice he looked in the morning light. David briefly turned his head towards Brad and smiled, before focusing back on the road. He reached his free hand out to place it on Brad’s thigh. Brad put his hand on top of David’s, leaning back against the passenger seat. 

Something dawned on Brad as he sat quietly as they drove.

Brad hadn’t felt lonely in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! comments and kudos are appreciated/encouraged as always


End file.
